I feel I have to argue your comment of “The logging is for profit not for saving the forest” because as a person who has worked strictly in the sawmill/trades related industry for the last 4 years I have seen and felt the direct effects of the fall of the lumber industry. I am from a remote northern town who’s main source of income is timber, and I will tell you that in the last year and a half approximately 50% of people working in the forest industry have lost their jobs because timber is no longer making money. It is actually costing the companies money for every board they produce, they are NOT making a profit at all right now. Companies that are still producing lumber are doing so at their own risk of losing their company. Countless mills have been shut down province wide and have been forced into bankruptcy due to the situation of the lumber industry. The devestation of this drop started because wood has lost it’s value due to the fact that pine beetle had destroyed it. Wood, even though still okay to use, is left with a blue stains/tints after it has been infected and sadly it’s just “not as pretty” so no one wants it. Also there is such an abundance of it and no demand. Factor in the economy’s downfall and no one is buying anymore. International mills are the companies that are effected the most right now.

So even if the Island forests aren’t being destroyed by the pine beetle the Island will still be affected by what’s happening throughout the rest of the province. They will still be logging, but I would bet that due to the nature of the lumber industry that they are not logging as much as they once were.

That being said the other points you have pointed out I don’t disagree with one bit.

“What sorts of behaviours do these animals have? Do they pose a threat to becoming a “pest problem” the same way most rodents do? ”

- I think its extremely unlikely that marmots will become a pest species. While I do agree that humans seem to have a way of making things worse by trying to fix them (remember cane toads) this is different…we are not introducing an alien species, the marmot was a part of the ecosystem and so it will be naturally controlled by its
predators. Also, the typical marmot habitat is sloped alpine areas between 800-1500m in elevation, they prefer deep soils where they can build burrows to hibernate over winter…this would be difficult to do in a parking lot. Even if they did change their natural behaviour and occupy other habitats they would get wacked by predators. In fact, this is what happened when the marmots tried moving into clearcuts… they couldn’t hide in burrows and they were easy picking for wolves, cougars and eagles. The plump and juicy marmots are not built for running away from predators (like deer), all they can do is hide.

“So if you REALLY want to try to save the marmot, instead of just breeding more you would HAVE to try to save the other species that are directly linked to the food chain”

- True… dumping a bunch of marmots in the wild is not the end of the story. But I think that maintaining these new populations does not just depend on predator populations, habitat is the big issue. If the marmots would stay up in the mountains and not be temped to come down to clearcuts, and if we didn’t build logging roads up into the mountains which allow easy access for cougars and wolves, they would be fine.

And by the way, Bald Eagles are not endangered, their status in BC is “Least Concern” and there numbers have been going up since the 60’s.

“We are not clear cutting our forests for our own selfish indulgence, we are cutting them down to try to fix what the pine beetle has destroyed.”

- The Pine Beetle epidemic is on the mainland not on Island! (see map: http://mpb.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/map_e.html). Your statement is true for the mainland but it is not an excuse for the destruction of Island forests. There has been small outbreaks in the South Island in the past but it is not a current concern. The logging is for profit not for saving the forest.

Sorry for the rant Keira-Anne, I know some of these agurments are beyond the scope of your article but I couldnt resist.

Vancouver Island is in absolutely no danger of being overrun by Vancouver Island marmots. This species of marmot has evolved to live in small patches of niche sub-alpine habitat that remains pristine to this day, which means they are one of the few endangered species with a very good chance of recovery – given that chance. Because they have limited natural habitat they do not breed like rabbits and instead have relatively small litters of 3-5 pups every other year after age 2. Otherwise they would have overrun their habitat long ago, which would not have been a very effective evolutionary move.

It is the hope that once the VIM population reaches the recovery target of approximately 600 marmots in the wild there will be enough established breeding pairs to withstand predation and still sustain the population, like they previously did for tens of thousands of years. There is a chance that because of alterations to lands surrounding marmot habitat, for all kinds of reasons and purposes, as well as invasions of foreign species (rabbits for instance), predator levels may again increase to the point it causes a problem for the marmot population, which means they may require an occasional influx of captive-born marmots to keep their numbers healthy. Would releasing a few captive-born marmots once in awhile to supplement the wild population be as bad as allowing one of our only uniquely Canadian species to slip into the extinction pit? I hope not. The point is, until that point of 600 VIM in the wild is reached no one can tell you what will or will not be needed. What we can say is that with continued success in the captive breeding program and continued releases to the wild – it looks like it can be reached. Given the will to do so.

None of the predators you listed are endangered. Some believe there was a sub-species of island wolf but I believe it is common consensus that species has long since disappeared because it was overwhelmed by the immigration of mainland wolves to the island.

Please verify everything I say, I do not want to assume I know better than anyone or cause more rants like those above. I do want to congratulate you on your endeavor though and wish you luck in a world full of people with nothing better to do than knock each other down.

Good work Keira-Anne

Yeah? So what is the thing that IS happening right now then? Pot Kettle Black, get your own facts straight. So basically in your highly informed experienced opinion just let them die off now because in 40 years they will be dying again. Don’t try, give up! You are so thoughtful and wise!

I understand you mentioned that the chief culprits were cougars, wolves, and eagles. I also mentioned that in my first comment.

If they do breed more, sure they’re probably not going to overrun the island, but will they be able to survive even with higher numbers? If they’re dropping off this quickly in a matter of 40 years, it would be safe to assume that with their habitat still declining and them still being eaten, that 40 years from now they will be yet again nearing extinction.

The chief culprits are cougars, wolves and eagles. It’s the circle of life – I get that. The Vancouver Island marmot population was around 300 in the 1970s and declined to such drastic numbers that action has been taken to ensure that the unique species does not become extinct. All the group is trying to do is bring the population to a healthy number to ensure their survival – not so they will overrun the Island. That is the only point I am trying to make.

There is a decline in all animals numbers, some more significantly than others. But we’re not expanding as much as one might think.

While yes we have logged to build new neighbourhoods and resorts and have invaded animals territories in the past, there has been more logging these last 50-60 years just to try to save our forests and the animals living in them, than for our own personal benefits.

There are many facts that you don’t know about the logging industry, and while you feel strongly about animals and their well being, I am equally passionate about our forests. The sad truth right now is whether we log or not, we’re losing our forests and the animals that live in them.

Yes humans have logged to expand urban areas. There is no denying that. However, what you are not seeing is that logging is currently NOT being done to make money or new homes and resorts, logging is strictly being done right now to try to save our forests. In fact every board that goes through a mill is causing the company to LOSE money. We are not clear cutting our forests for our own selfish indulgence, we are cutting them down to try to fix what the pine beetle has destroyed. We are trying to plant new forests so that the animals have places to live again. We are trying to get rid of the dead trees that are polluting the earth with carbon dioxide and put us at major province wide risks for devestating wild fires.

Right now this province is fighting to save the forests and everything that lives in them. Most of the trees that are being cut down right now aren’t even being used, most of them are being burned. The saddest truth right now is that the pine beetle are unstoppable and are killing trees faster than we can try to save them. Each tree that the pine beetles get into has 3 years left standing. Only after a year to 2 at the absolute max can that tree still be used for things like homes or cabinets etc. In their 3rd year that tree is dead waste that ends up being burned in slash piles.

So yes species numbers are dropping in huge increments, but it isn’t because we’re expanding and being greedy, it’s because our forests are dying due to something that we cannot control. Right now our province is first and foremostly trying to use what they can of the beetle kill, they are not clear cutting anything they don’t have to.

I am by no means trying to offend you or put anything you’re saying down. I just feel as though people don’t know all of their facts. Yes it is desrespectful to any and all animals to think that our needs supersede theirs, but I don’t think that is the case with what’s happening right now.